


Blackstar

by dynastykissed



Category: Professional Wrestling, 新日本プロレス | New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Great Bash Heel, Heel!Kota, How Do I Tag, Kota is sick of this crap, M/M, Major AU, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, SLOW burn for kenny/kota
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-03-16 06:10:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13630299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dynastykissed/pseuds/dynastykissed
Summary: A tired and defeated Kota Ibushi is approached with a very enticing business proposition.





	1. The Beginning of The End

**Author's Note:**

> Alrighty then! Welcome to my canon-ignoring abomination.This little work of fiction was inspired by a prompt on the wrestlekink meme ( https://wrestlingkink2.dreamwidth.org/423.html?thread=185255#cmt185255 ) and a mix of a previous idea I was exploring.This story takes place in November of 2017-onwards.
> 
> For a little reference on where canon diverges:  
> -Kota fails to advance in the G1 tournament of August 11th of 2017  
> -August is the (brief) backstage reunion with Kenny  
> -November 5th he fails to defeat Tanahashi  
> -After Power Struggle Togi approaches Kota,and the timeline diverges from there.

It's quiet in the locker room,almost maddeningly so,the slow _drip,drip_ from the shower heads behind him amplify in Kota's mind,and echo like wardrums in the sterile space. He scrubs his hands over his face in frustration: _Why?_ Why couldn't he win? Kota **knew** had Tanahashi dead to rights so many times during their match,he could practically **taste** the Intercontinental Championship with every _one,two-._

A hand through hair,and Kota almost wants to pull and let his anger loose for the first time in so long,but he takes a breath instead,shaky and disappointed.He swallows down screams and blinks away angry tears:He wouldn't want anyone finding him like this. _You used to be golden_ A cruel voice from inside hisses,familiar in its venom. _What happened?_

"I don't want anyone seeing me like this." The words are said aloud,but Kota has never had anyone to talk to.He stands-Perhaps some time in his hotel room will do him some good,he can grab some food and have a nice cry with no one around to witness his complete utter fall from grace.

"Ibushi." Kota's head snaps almost violently to the side as his name is called.He's not sure what to be ready for,a fight perhaps? An interview? But the sight of Togi Makabe,palms offered in surrender is not what he expected. "I'm just here to talk to you."  The older man approaches as gingerly as he can and Kota's conscience shifts from _danger_ to utter _confusion_ in a heartbeat.The two had wrestled before,just a recently as July,but the two weren't exactly best friends.What could Makabe possible want from him?

Kota frowns,and takes a threatening step forward. "What do you want Makabe?" If this is a trick,Kota will beat him from one end of the arena to the other.

"Your return to New Japan hasn't been going as well as you'd like eh?" He's talking to Kota's forhead more than anything,wry smile still on his face. "Couldn't advance in the G1,couldn't beat Tanahashi....your Kenny still won't speak to you."

The mood changes so fast it almost gives Kota whiplash. "Don't say his name.Not to me." He doesn't even want to **_think_ ** about Kenny.He'd thought that after their encounter the canadian man would open up to him again but-No,it didn't matter. "What's past is past." The brunette says with such a pained look he doesn't even believe himself. "Get out of my way."

"Ok.OK,just hear me out for a little longer." Kota crosses his arms in impatience annoyance,but relents,and Togi gives him another grin before continuing his spiel. " You weren't around in 2006,but  you should have been." There's a wistful smile on the blonde's face,the very embodiment of nostalgia. "Great Bash Heel,we were going to be the greatest stable in this company."

"I fail to see what that has to do with me."

"Hold on a minute." Togi says,placing his hands on Kota's shoulders as if they were old friends. "The point I'm trying to make is-I want to bring back those days.The days where me and mine were **untouchable** -And I want you to be a part of it.I want to bring back the Hard Hit Prince,and make him one of the biggest names in New Japan."

Join a team? Kota remembered the last time he let someone else watch his back,the pain and the heartbreak that came afterwards and shook his head in abject refusal. 

"Think about it" Makabe says,smirk still in place,and he presses a piece of paper into Kota's hand-A phone number. "I think after some meditation you'll fine that I only want what's best for you." He's gone just a fast as he entered,leaving Kota in his gear and with nothing but a piece of paper to prove he was ever there at all.He shudders in a breath,clenches his fist,and gathers his bags.

He has a call to make.


	2. welcome to the rest of your life.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kota meets his future "family",and plans are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I want to try to update at least twice a month from now on,but real life has a way of constantly kicking my ass.
> 
> *whispers* don't ask how togi has the stroke to get people signed i don't know either

Makabe opens the door a second after he knocks, almost like he knew Kota would eventually come crawling to join him: The smug **_bastard_**.

His hotel room is nice,a lot nicer than the one New Japan provided for him at least, and the other members of the "team" are already there when he enters the sitting room: Honma, flicking channels on the TV, a bored expression on his face, Kitamura, as buff and intimidating as ever, and two men he had never seen before,heads pressed together,talking in hushed tones. Brown eyes blink open and closed as Kota realizes that he's in **_way too deep_**.

But oh well,no turning back now.

A beer is pressed into his hands as Makabe pushes him into a seated position next to the strangers and claps his hands together in a loud _slap_ ,bringing all eyes towards him. He smiles,and begins to address his audience. 

"I can't begin to express how glad I am that we're all here together." A pause as the blonde looks over his faction. "How glad I am that you all agreed to join me and take the wrestling world by storm.There's no limit to what we'll all accomplish together,just wait and see. Even back in 2006 Homna and I knew Great Bash Heel was destined to rule New Japan,and damn did it take us a while to get it together but just **look** at this lineup-There's no way we can ever lose." Kota's not a particularly vain person, but he can't help but smile a bit.It feels nice to be appreciated,even if it is by a man who's obviously trying to butter him up.

"New Japan may have gotten stagnant with Chaos,Bullet Club,and Suzuki-Gun running things,but we're about to start a storm that no one saw coming."

Bullet Club.Kota doesn't know how he could have forgotten.It's inevitable that as a member of Great Bash Heel he'll have to go to war with Bullet Club,go to war with _Kenny_.He swallows,a feeling of unease settling over him as he begins to tune Togi's rambling out: Will he be able to fight Kenny? He had loved the man once,a stubborn bit of him still did even though the man seemed to want nothing to do with him. Could he press his feeling aside for the good of his career and use the man as a stepping stone like Kenny had done to him?

"Kota." He's broken out of his thoughts by Togi slapping his hands onto his shoulders,that same wide smile etched onto his face. "I know you already know Honma and Kitamura, but I want you to meet my _favorite_ tag team."The strangers look to Kota and he stares back,unblinking. "Chris Brookes and Kid Lykos;CCK-I saw one of their matches online and knew I had to have them on my side." 

The smaller one-who he correctly guesses is Lykos offers a hand- and Kota shakes it,Chris staring indifferently at the exchange.

"Now" It's Honma who speaks up this time,and Kota supposes it makes sense that the original leaders would be co-commanding this incarnation as well. "We're together,but you all must be wondering? When do we strike? When will our championship pursuits begin? The answer is simple: Wrestle Kingdom.We make a splash on the biggest show of the year and get everyone talking early,then continue on from there."

 _You have a match that night._ His mind reminds him. _Against Cody_.Will he be expected to debut with GBH before or after then? 

"Kota.Since Togi's match is before yours,Kitamura's on the pre -show,and the rest of us aren't booked,we'll be doing a run-in during your match,It'll help us get the Bullet Club's attention early." It will be strange to Kota,to have people run in to help him during a match,and the idea of winning in a less than fair way disturbs him a bit,but he pushes back his doubts-he was in.

"Alright." He nods,gaining an approving smile from Honma in the process.

"Kota Ibushi." Makabe drags him to a standing position,throwing an arm around his shoulders. "Welcome to Great Bash Heel."

**Author's Note:**

> Uhhhh,so here's this.I don't see Kota as a particularly obsessive person over victories and such,but I think that after a while even he'd get frustrated with people constantly stepping over him on the way to the top,while he stays stagnant (Sort of like Sami Zayn) he's not stupid,either-He knows how the "bad-guys" win and he knows what Togi and Honma will expect him to do,but as conflicted as he'll be,he wants to win.


End file.
